4th Place Finish Propels Tancic to National Championship

Nov 09, 2013

TAMPA, Fla. – The Saint Leo women's cross country team completed their 2013 season with a 5th place finish at the NCAA South Region race at Sydney Dover Trails in Tampa, Fla. The Lions' team score of 139 topped the 6th place team, North Alabama, by a total of twenty points.

Freshman Jelena Tancic, who recently earned SSC Freshman of the Year honors, finished the 6K race in just 22:54.40, giving her a fourth place finish among the 78-woman field and securing her a trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship race.

Following closely behind Tancic was freshman standout Natalie McCormick, who crossed the finish line at 24:11.50, and senior Andrea Maxwell, who finished with a time of 24:25.00. Their finishes earned them 21st and 25th place, respectively.

Junior Ronja Jaeger finished fourth among the Lions' squad, notching a 46th place finish with a time of 25:39.80. Trailing closely behind was sophomore Kylie Fagan, who crossed the tape at 25:52.70, and sophomore Anet Milian, who finished the 6K course in 26:10.80.

Rounding out the Saint Leo team was freshman Grace Lederer, who finished in 57th with a time of 26:30.40.

Thanks to three top-25 finishes for the Lions, the race marks the first time in Saint Leo history that three women have been named to the USTFCCA All-Region team.

The University of Tampa Spartans took home the team trophy in the race, finishing with a final score of 37 and earning five top-25 finishes. Vicky Winslow of Alabama-Huntsville took home the individual prize with her finish of 22:04.10.

Jelena Tancic will return to action for the Lions when she travels to the NCAA Division II National Championship race on November 23 in Spokane, Washington.

For more on the women's cross country program, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Also, be sure to 'Like' the Lions on Facebook and 'Follow' Saint Leo Athletics on Twitter and Instagram.